A quick analysis of Google's terms of service shows how the search company owns the files you upload the minute they are submitted, and can in effect do anything it wants to your files -- and that's final. But there is a small catch. ......

The last sentence makes all the difference. While these rights are limited to essentially making Google Drive better and to develop new services run by Google, the scope is not defined and could extend far further than one would expect.
Simply put: there's no definitive boundary that keeps Google from using what it likes from what you upload to its service.......

The fact is, according to its terms, Google may own any code or product you ultimately upload to its new Google Drive service, whether you realise it or not.

Updated at 8 p.m. to clarify that the first sentence of the Google terms states: "You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours." For more on this topic, See Rafe Needlemen's FAQ.

Does this fix the problem?

Still, funny how google's motto has always been 'Don't be Evil' (essentially a poke at Microsoft), meanwhile Microsoft's EULA is much friendlier towards the consumer.

Well it is tough for them with all the laws and political crap going on they need to protect themselves... And TBH google really doesn't care what kind of porn or serial codes you keep on your cloud storage anyways because they make more money off of it than it would be worth to steal.

Why would you put ultra-sensitive information on google drive anyways? People make such a big deal about it but it really isn't an issue unless you are being stupid. I have data on my drives that could cost my company millions of dollars but I would never put them on cloud storage. I never put them on a machine connected to the internet unless I absolutely have to. We exchange hard copies on disks or USB drives.

The point is google ruining their reputation would cost them far more money than they could ever steal from you and they really don't care what laws you are breaking. Put it this way, it is actually a good thing for you if you are breaking the law because the government can't even access your stuff without serving google with a warrant and do you think google is going to let them go through all their data?

At the end of the day nothing negative comes out of this unless you are ultra paranoid.

Well it is tough for them with all the laws and political crap going on they need to protect themselves... And TBH google really doesn't care what kind of porn or serial codes you keep on your cloud storage anyways because they make more money off of it than it would be worth to steal.

Why would you put ultra-sensitive information on google drive anyways? People make such a big deal about it but it really isn't an issue unless you are being stupid. I have data on my drives that could cost my company millions of dollars but I would never put them on cloud storage. I never put them on a machine connected to the internet unless I absolutely have to. We exchange hard copies on disks or USB drives.

The point is google ruining their reputation would cost them far more money than they could ever steal from you and they really don't care what laws you are breaking. Put it this way, it is actually a good thing for you if you are breaking the law because the government can't even access your stuff without serving google with a warrant and do you think google is going to let them go through all their data?

At the end of the day nothing negative comes out of this unless you are ultra paranoid.

Good point, I don't see why people care, it's just like facebook, they own all the stuff you post, but you don't see mark zuckerberg printing off your bikini photos and hanging them on his office walls to masturbate to, do you?

Don't put anything sensitive on the web, as for pictures of your dog, who cares if google "owns" it. That's what google drive is for, pics, music, etc. Not a text file of your company's visa number